


Do it with a rockstar

by OhGoshOhJeez



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Arguments, Feminism, Fighting, Fluff, M/M, Newt is a punk asshole who has issues, Past Child Abuse, Slow Burn, college written from the perspective of someone who knows fuckall about it, hermann is a stuffy student with bad social anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 16:26:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14773106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhGoshOhJeez/pseuds/OhGoshOhJeez
Summary: Do you wanna dance?Do you wanna fight?Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?Do you wanna smoke till our throats are sore?Make out and then talk and then make out some more?----------





	Do it with a rockstar

It was cold out.

The winter night air stung Hermann’s face and nipped at his hands as he fumbled for his phone, trying, once again to get ahold of his roommate.  He was supposed to pick him up an hour ago and, knowing him, he was probably off getting drunk somewhere or fell asleep at his desk after five minutes of study.

He sighed, his breath fogging up in the air, clutching his phone like a lifeline. He wasn’t supposed to be out this late at night. He’d heard stories of college kids being mugged or kidnapped in parking lots like these and, to be frank, he  _ really  _ wasn’t up for that tonight. 

Hermann looked up from his phone as some movement out the corner of his eye caught his attention.  A hand had stuck out from a, rather beat up looking pick up truck, flicking cigarette ash out the window and onto the pavement, the orange light of it shining in the dark.  The arm of the person had tattoos snaking all the way up, probably to the shoulder, and Hermann swallowed, nervously.

He didn’t mean to profile, but the tattoos really didn’t scream “Upstanding citizen” to him. 

Hermann pulled his hood up over his head and started walking, heading out. Maybe he’d catch a cab or something. But he was pretty far away from town by this point, it was just a road with a diner on the side.

He could just walk back, but it could take a while and who knows what type of people he’d-

“Hey, buddy?”

Hermann stopped in his tracks. The trucker had just called out to him.

Oh. No.

“Erm…” He turned to face them, realizing with impending dread that he was right in line with the window, and he could see the man inside the car.

He was around the same age as him, college age, although something told Hermann that he probably never attended. He looked -scruffy- like he needed a good haircut and a shave. A cigarette hung from his lips and he took a drag as he gazed Hermann up and down, making him flush red.

“Yes?” Hermann said, fidgeting with his hands.

“Need a ride?”

Oh god.

No, he couldn’t. It was common sense to not get into cars with strangers, especially strangers who looked like  _ that _ .

“Er, no, thank you.” Hermann said, simply. He started to walk away when the voice called out again.

“You sure? Cuz uh, we’re a long way from town and you look kinda…” He stopped his face scrunching, trying to think of the right words. “Squirrely.”

“Squirrely?” Hermann said, more to himself than to the trucker. 

“Yeah.”

He thought for a moment. 

“How do I know you won’t kidnap me? O-Or stab me and steal my money?”

The trucker laughed, before snubbing his cigarette out on the outside of his car, flicking it to the ground.   
“Relax, dude. Just thought you needed some help, is all.”

Hermann hesitated. Oh god, why was he even considering it? He had no idea who this man was, much less why he wanted to pick him up.

But surely, he couldn’t cause him any harm?

“Are you coming or not, cause I kinda have places to be.” The man said, raising his eyebrows.

Hermann sighed, before walking over to the car door. The man leaned over and opened it for him with a smile.

 

\--------------------

 

This was...Well, it was awkward, to say the least.

Hermann’s hands were folded in his lap, staring down at the floor, which was littered with soda cans and empty cigarette packs.

God, why did he think this was a good idea?

“I won’t bite, dude.” The man said, snapping Hermann out of his daze.

“Er, excuse me?”

“I said I won’t bite. You don’t need to be so nervous, man.” 

“Oh.” Hermann said.

“So, where you headed?”

“Er, Leatherback College Institute, just a few miles from here.” 

“Ah! I go there, too.”

Wow. Hermann was a little taken aback by this. Did he go to the same college? How had he never seen him before?

“I see.” 

“What’s your major?”

“Um, mathematics. Yourself?”

“Engineering.”

_ DOUBLE WOW.  _ This man was studying engineering?!

“Really?” Hermann said before he could stop himself.

“Is that so surprising?”

Hermann’s face heated.

“Er, no! I just, I only meant that-”

“I get it, dude. It’s not what I thought I’d be doing either but, life finds a way I guess.”

Was that a Jurassic Park reference. Did that man just quote Jurassic park?

My god.

“Anyway, what’s your name?”

He...Really wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell him that. But then again, he was probably never going to see this man again, so-

“Hermann.”

“Hermann? Aw man, even your name sounds nerdy as hell.”

“Excuse me?!” Hermann said, offended.

“Nah, dude, I didn’t mean it like that, it’s kinda cute. Suits you.”

This was a nightmare, an actual living nightmare. He was being complimented and he never knew how to respond to compliments and when did his hands get so sweaty--

“Name’s Newt.”

“Huh?”

“Newt. Well, Newton, I guess, but only my mother calls me that.” He chuckled at his own joke and good god this man was insufferable already.

“Newt.” Hermann repeated.

There was a silence, both men seemingly not knowing what else to say. Social interaction, social interaction,  _ ssssocial interaaactionnnn…. _

“Kinda quiet in here, huh?” Newt said, and before Hermann knew it, loud grunge music was being played and he had to cover his ears because, good  _ god _ .

“OOPS, sorry!” Newt cranked the volume down with a laugh. “Forgot it was set like that.”

Did Newt drive with the music that loud? He must get a lot of complaints.

“Amanda Palmer. Chick rules.” Newt looked over at Hermann, his shocked expression clear as day.

“Not a fan, I take it?”

Hermann sighed, resting his hand on the door frame, rubbing his temple.

“Not particularly, no.”

“Ahh, you’re no fun,” Newt said, playfully, and Hermann had to strain to not roll his eyes.

“She’s super cool, she has these wicked eyebrows that she draws on and she wears all this fucking sick looking makeup and she doesn’t shave, she just doesn't give a damn. Real awesome feminist shit.”

_ Triple wow?! _

“You’re a feminist?”

“Oh totally, dude, I go to marches all the time, hold up signs and junk. I don’t talk over the ladies though cause that’s not cool but...Yeah."

Christ. This was bizarre.

“That’s...Nice.” Hermann said, kicking himself mentally, god did he have the social skills of a goldfish?!

“Yeah, it’s cool. Anyway, what do you do for fun?”

Did this man ever stop talking?

“Erm...Not much, really.”

“Aw, come on, there must be something you do to unwind that math-y brain of yours.”

Hermann almost laughed but stopped himself. What was he turning into?

“I guess… I like reading.”

“What kinda stuff?”

“Oh, just...Old literature, I suppose. Some science fiction.”

“Ah, man I love sci-fi! Especially stuff with monsters, that’s why I got the tattoos, see?”

Newt didn’t look away from the road but extended his arm out to Hermann. He could see them better now, colorful swirls of the ocean, with imposing beasts leaping out of the water, intimidating but cartoonish.

“They’re…” Don’t say lovely, please for the love of god don’t say- “Lovely.”

The other man’s smile vanished, a look of surprise on his face before a blush crept on his cheeks and he scoffed.

“You think these are cool, you should see the ones on my chest.”

Did he just...Imply that Hermann should see him shirtless?

Hermann gulped, suddenly growing very warm.

“Looks like we’re here,” Newton said and…

Huh, look at that...So they were.

“Nice meeting you, Herm.” Newt said, and he-

Oh god, he reached over to Hermann’s side, pulling the door handle, opening it for Hermann.

God they were close, this was really…

Really…

“Um. Th-Thank you...For the erm...Lift.”

“No problem,” Newt said, bringing his arm back and smiling.

“See ya around.” 

“Y-yes.” Hermann bolted out of the car as fast as he could go, grabbing his cane and shutting the door.

The man waved at him through the window, before taking off. Hermann could faintly hear the sound of the music being turned back on as he drove away.

Hermann let out a breath he never knew he was holding and made his way inside the dormitory. 

When he opened the door of his dorm, his roommate was sound asleep, sprawled out on his bed, a textbook in one hand.

Hermann sighed, before getting ready for bed himself.  As he pulled his covers up and shut his eyes, his mind drifted back to the man he’d met.

The last thought he had before falling asleep was how beautiful Newton’s eyes were in the low light of the truck.

  
  



End file.
